Our election is approaching. On November 14th ballots will be mailed to all eligible voters in our union, to elect three new Executive Officers for two-year terms (2024-2025). Our eight-person Executive Board meets semi-monthly and supervises all of the work of our union; it approves expenditures and membership applications; and serves as the trial board of the union when needed. Four candidates are running for the three open positions:
- Doug Reneau
- Joe Klause
- Bruce Fife
- Lars Campbell
Note: John Nastos was also nominated at the September 19th nominations meeting; he has withdrawn his nomination.
Candidates are allowed to provide 200-word statements to be published in Fanfare; please read the candidates’ statements below.
Note: these statements are printed in the order that the candidates’ names will appear on the ballot; that order was randomly drawn by the Election Committee on September 19th.
Doug Reneau
Doug Reneau has been Third/Utility Trumpet of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra and a proud member of AFM Local 99 since 2015. He has been active on the Negotiating Committee and Artistic Advisory Committee for the OSO. Before moving to Oregon, he served on multiple musician committees during his nearly six years as Assistant Principal Trumpet of the Louisiana Philharmonic in New Orleans.
Doug is encouraged by recent waves of union activity throughout the country in various industries and is looking to join that movement more directly by serving as a member of the Executive Board of AFM Local 99. Public support for workers’ unions has been stronger than ever in the past few years and we have a unique opportunity right now to advocate for better wages and working conditions for our members. Doug would be honored to represent you in this capacity and is grateful in advance for your support.
Joe Klause
To the members of the Local 99 Musician’s Union,
As I stand for election to our Board of Directors, I reflect upon my six years of engagement with our community. As a trumpet player, I’ve had the honor of performing with many of you in our city’s union orchestras and ensembles. Beyond the stage, my role as an educator at several of our liberal arts colleges, youth orchestras, and high schools has allowed me to share and grow our musical tradition.
My role as Chair of the Price List Committee over the last two years has given me invaluable insights into the needs of our members and the intricacies of the union’s operations. It was my duty to ensure that our pricing remains fair, transparent, and responsive to the changing cost of living and modernization of our world.
While my experience spans various fields, including software engineering and business entrepreneurship, I believe it is my deep connection to our musical community that positions me as a suitable candidate for the Board. I am committed to leveraging my multifaceted experiences to enrich our union, fostering a culture of collaboration and harmony.
Thank you so much for your consideration and support.
Joe
Bruce Fife
I am running to be a Local 99 Director. The simple reason for this; Experience. I was first elected to the Local 99 Board in 1999 (2 years), elected to the office of President in 2001 (21 years), elected AFM International Vice President in 2010 (13 years), and now Local 99 Board member again in 2023 to complete a term left vacant by the changes in leadership. In all but the first terms of each, I was elected by acclamation, something virtually unheard of, especially at the International level, in large part because of the quality of, and commitment to the work. At every level, I have advocated for diverse and creative leadership. That means new members, diverse backgrounds, and experience. We have always had a “senior” member on our Boards, someone that knows how we got to where we are, why things operate the way they do, and a real working world perspective as our Local continues to grow and evolve. That knowledge can be critical when the Board debates issues, potentially saving significant time and resources, by making sure that all perspectives are considered. I ask for your vote and continued support for the health of our Union.
Lars Campbell
Fellow Local 99 musicians! I am running to continue in my role as an Executive Board Member, a position I have held since August 2013. Throughout I have been a unique voice who understands and has reach into the freelance orchestral and the jazz and contemporary music worlds, making me uniquely suited to the position. I am a thoughtful advocate for musicians and musicians’ rights, and bring logic and level headedness to our work.
On the board, I have been proud of the following items: I helped to lead us to our first musical theater CBA with Clackamas Repertory Theater, after which Portland Center Stage and Stumptown Stages followed. This new avenue will actively help the theater musician community and is creating membership growth. I have served on the Pricelist, Law and Legislative, Political, and Hall Beautification Committees, and served as a delegate to the AFM national convention in June, 2023. Lastly, I suggested and led an initiative to strengthen the local’s financial position through investments in Series-I bonds when the interest rate was over 9% in 2021. This active engagement in our fiscal strength shows leadership and willingness to think creatively for our mutual growth.
In Solidarity,
Lars